This week, we discuss the merits of recent ideas to pause the development or rollout of harmful technologies and data practices.

Recent widespread consternation about AI (particularly ChatGPT and GPT-4 from OpenAI) has led to an open letter from various AI and tech personalities calling for a 6-month pause in future development. But Jordan and Arj discuss that the letter may not be all that it seems.

The open letter comes at the same time as a new paper from Australia's 
Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC), which argues for a new Privacy Safety Regime which would allow governments and regulators to stop or limit obviously harmful uses of or harmful practices. The paper also proposes the introduction of a duty of care or best-interests duty that would oblige businesses to act in the best interests of consumers.

Links:

Open letter to pause AI https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/

Analysis of open letter (Platformer) https://www.platformer.news/p/the-ai-industry-really-should-slow

ChatGPT blocked in Italy over privacy concerns https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-01/chatgpt-ai-chatbot-blocked-itay-over-privacy-concerns/102175640

Paper from CPRC https://cprc.org.au/in-whose-interest/

Credits:

Music by Bensound.com